Derek Meech has been down this road before and truth be told, it can be agonizing.

As the Winnipeg Jets’ brass continues to mull over their final decisions that will bring them to the opening-day roster, Meech finds himself in limbo once again, waiting to see if he’s going to be among those to make the grade or be placed on waivers and wondering if he’ll be picked up by another team or be re-assigned to the American Hockey League.

The 27-year-old Winnipegger had a steady training camp, but the Jets have seven defencemen on one-way contracts and there’s also a chance that management might believe the future could be now for Paul Postma, who had five points in four preseason games.

It’s enough to make your head spin, if you let it.

“It’s a little nerve-racking,” said Meech, who has experienced the uneasiness during his seven previous seasons in the Detroit Red Wings organization. “You’ve done all you can do, up to this point. I’ve been happy with my camp, I’ve played pretty well. The cards are in their (Jets management and coaching staff) hands right now.

“Just treat it like another day. Go on with your day and whatever happens, happens. I’m not going to stress about it all day and that sort of thing. Either way, however it goes you’ve got to keep your head up and keep going.”

Meech’s versatility could certainly work in his favour, as he spent part of Saturday’s session playing forward — something he did a few seasons ago as a member of the Red Wings.

“As far as getting an opportunity to get in the lineup, it’s common sense it might open up a little more opportunity,” said Meech. “If I can be here playing forward, I’ll do that too. I’ll do anything. If they want me to strap on the pads (and play goal), I’ll do that too.”

Troy Bodie of Portage la Prairie finds himself in a similar position to Meech, but doesn’t have a contract with the Jets at this point.

Bodie sat out Friday’s preseason finale and finished with one goal, 14 penalty minutes and a plus-3 rating in four games.

“I had a good camp,” said Bodie. “The goal showed them I’ve got more skill to my game than they thought, which over the last year has been tough to show because of my limited ice time. It was nice to get that opportunity and I appreciate it. The big highlight was just getting out there and playing. It was a good challenge and I like things like that.

“There’s obviously some things I’d take back, but I thought I played well. I got my chances in the lineup, got some ice time and did what I had to do. Now it’s just sit and wait. It’s tough but that’s what you’ve got to do.”

As a guy on a tryout, it’s a feather in Bodie’s cap that he’s made the decision this difficult and kept his name in the discussion.

“I knew what I had to do,” said Bodie. “I came in, did my job and it’s out of my hands now.”

The final member of the Manitoba trio waiting to learn his fate is rookie left-winger Jason Gregoire, who had one assist in three preseason games after signing with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent in early July.

The smart money is that Gregoire starts the next phase of his career learning the pro game in the minors but he’s certainly enjoying his first NHL training camp.

“Every guy in this locker room has the ability to score goals and do what’s needed to play here, it’s just having the confidence to know you can go out and do it,” said Gregoire.

“Every game I’ve gotten a little better and I need to take that and go forward.”

Right after taking the job of general
manager for the Winnipeg Jets, Kevin
Cheveldayoff made it crystal clear the
construction of his roster would be a
rather arduous process and that
shortcuts weren’t going to be the
solution for an apparent lack of
organizational depth.